Synopsis

I rewrote my synopsis today. I have one that is 10 pages long, but several agents only want 1-2 pages. So I decided it might not be a bad idea to have a long one and a short one handy.

Wondering if I ought to write a few short stories--is there still a short story market out there? I gave up on it in 1996 and haven't looked since. Still write them, mind you. I just don't try to publish them. If anyone's reading and has info on this topic, give me a comment, okay?

(singing) I'll keep climbing that mountain...

I have been reading Jenn's Diary of a Mad Writer blog, and it's so amazing. Jennifer is this professional writer--you know, quit your day job, sign autographs, Google-hits-like-crazy professional writer.

But reading her blog from back in 2001 is like listening to my own internal dialogue. Okay, maybe not the whole, I'm going to write Regency romance novels, but the doubt, the determination, the shifting interests--and of course, the THIS STORY SUCKS comments.

I strongly recommend her blog to all yet-to-be-published writers (ha! Not negative. Indicates a belief that publishing will be in my hopefully-near future. I'm improving.) Check out my last post for the link. And while you're out it, go out and buy all Jennifer Ashley's book, because I want her to be mega-successful. I always said I would ride her coat-tails straight to the middle.

Best--D.

Voices from the Past

I am surrounded by echoes. First, I'm reading through Jennifer Ashley's Writing Diary from before she became a Famous Writer(tm). It's actually helping. Not nearly as much much as her emails, which basically say, "don't worry, you can do it" without a hint of "you are driving me batty, you needy heifer." :) Actually, if Jenn calls me a heifer, it's usually done with love, not frustration.

The other voices are coming through, of all places, Facebook (friend me as "Deborah A Baudoin"). Somehow, I managed to hook up with 10 million people from my past. It's so bizarre, and yet, oddly entrancing.

But I'm still a LiveJournal girl, so don't expect me to play that farm game anytime soon, 'kay?

Layout Change

I've changed the layout on this blog. I can be and often am quite creative, visually, but I decided to keep things simple here. I want to focus on the writing here.

Queries, Queries, Queries

Finishing my first novel was just the beginning. I'm at that point in my process now that I have to get out there, to really focus on what makes my book special, what makes it sale-worthy, and why an agent would want to take a chance on a previously unpublished author.

It's a humbling and daunting process. I'm learning a lot about myself, and about the industry. I'm just grateful that I have a mentor who knows the ropes and who can remind me that, this too shall pass. It's not enough to have talent, but having talent makes it much easier.

I just have to be peristent through this part of it.